Apparatus for washing packing cases

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for washing packing cases and delivery trays, e.g., for baked goods has a downwardly sloping trough leading onto a grate in a receptacle filled with a detergent solution in which sand is suspended. A rotating shaft carrying a plurality of axially-spaced blades is provided in the receptacle below the grate for agitating the solution and cleaning the cases which are immersed therein. From the grate each case is pushed by the following case up a second chute and onto a second grate above which a plurality of nozzles are provided which spray the washed crate with recycled rinse water from which the sand has been separated, with the further upstream spray ejecting clean fresh water.

United States Patent [191 Casapopol et al.

CASES Assignee:

Filed;

APPARATUS FOR WASHING PACKING Inventors: Gherasim Casapopol; NapoleonIaru, both of Galati, Romania Intreprinderea Judeteana De Morarit SiPanificalie, Galati, Romania June 28, 1971 Appl. No.: 157,090

US. Cl 51/5, 51/18, 51/323 Int. Cl B24b 31/00 Field of Search 51/5, 7,16,17,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Meurer 51/7 X wettlauferw 51/7 UXBehnke et al.... 51/7 UX Fossen et al. 51/163 X Jan. 8, 1974 8/1967Moore 51/163 x Primary ExaminerDonald G. Kelly Assistant ExaminerHowardN. Goldberg Attorney-Karl F. Ross [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus forwashing packing cases and delivery trays, e.g., for baked goods has adownwardly sloping trough leading onto a grate in a receptacle filledwith a detergent solution in which sand is suspended. A rotating shaftcarrying a plurality of axially-spaced blades is provided in thereceptacle below the grate for agitating the solution and cleaning thecases which are immersed therein. From the grate each case is pushed bythe following case up a second chute and onto a second grate above whicha plurality of nozzles are provided which spray the washed crate withrecycled rinsev water from which the sand has been separated, with thefurther upstream spray ejecting clean fresh water.

5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure 1 APPARATUS FOR WASHING PACKING CASES FIELDOF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus forcontinuously washing packing cases, especially those of plastic orsynthetic-resin material used for stocking and carrying bakery products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The known devices have the disadvantages ofwashing incompletely, since the liquid is not sprayed on the wholesurface of the case, mechanical means for detaching the insolubleimpurities are lacking, and they are of a relatively complicatedstructure since conveyor belts and many diffuser pipes and pumps forspraying the liquid are needed.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved apparatus for washing packing cases orsimilar reusable containers.

Another object is the provision of such an apparatus which carries outcomplete cleaning while having a minimum number of trouble-prone parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus according to the invention avoidsthese disadvantages in that, in order to more vigorously wash the casesand to simplify the structure, it includes a device to guide the casescomprising a downwardly sloping chute or trough above which there is abladed shaft perpendicular to the transport direction and beltdriven byan electric motor. The guiding device also has a horizontal grateimmersed in a vessel or receptacle containing an aqueous detergentsolution and a sand suspension. Below the grate there is a bladed shaftdriven by an electric motor for agitating the solution. The guidingdevice further includes a second sloping trough or chute directedupwardly, and a second grate above which there are two pipes formed withnozzles as diffusers and connectedby means of a pipe and a pump to asecond reservoir. A third pipe fed with fresh water is provided at thevery end of the transport path and below the grate there is a downwardlysloping trough emptying the rinse water into a third reservoir connectedat the bottom with the second one by means of a sand separator andhaving at its upper part a slit for removal of thefoam resulting fromwashing and the liquid excess.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING An example of an apparatus in accordance withthe invention is explained below with reference to the enclosed drawingwhose sole FIGURE shows a longitudinal section through the washingapparatus according to the present invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION The apparatus according to the invention comprisesa guiding device for the cases 1 including a downwardly sloping trough 2above which there is a bladed shaft 3 belt-driven by an electric motor.The downwardly sloping trough 2 runs onto a grate 5 which is belowtheliquid level of a reservoir 6 containing a 2 percent aqueous solutionof trisodium phosphate and 5 percent suspended sand. I

At the bottom of the reservoir 6, a shaft 7 is parallel to the grate 5and has radial axially spaced blades 8 so I that when they are rotatedby the electric motor the sand abrasively cleans the containers 1.Without the rotating shaft 7 and its radially extending vanes 8, thesand would quickly settle to the bottom of the elongated receptacle 6under the grate 5 and will not serve to clean the cases 1.

The cases or containers 1 are made of a light synthetic-resin materialsuch as polystyrene so that they tend to float. The guide path isenclosed, especially above the grate 5, which extends substantially thefull length of the receptacle'6, to force the cases 1 under the level ofthe solution and retain then thus immersed as the following cases pushthem along the guide path.

The grate is continued as a second upwardly extending trough or chute 10and a second horizontal grate 11. Above the grate 11 two pipes 12 and 13are provided with diffuser nozzles and are connected by pipe and pump tothe reservoir 16 which is in communication through a sand separator withanother reservoir 17 provided at its upper part 18 with an overflowopening or slit 19 for the removal of the foam resulting from washingand the liquid excess. Above the grate is a third pipe 20, also providedwith inwardly directed diffuser nozzles and fed with fresh water andbelow it is a trough 21' directed into the reservoir.

For washing, the cases are laid on the downwardly extending trough 2whence they are moved in the transport direction A along the guidingdevice 2,5,10,11 gravitationally and also owing to the blade action ofblades on the'shaft 3. While passingthrough the reserovir'6, the cases 1come into contact with the liquid stirred by the blades 8 of the shaft 7so that the soluble impurities are dissolved by the water and detergentand the insoluble impurities are removed by the abrasive action of thesuspended sand; particles. Above the grate 11 the cases 1 are sprayedwith the recycled water from pipes 12 and 13 and the fresh water frompipe 20. After rinsing the cases 1, the water flows along the trough andinto the reservoir 18 where the liquid excess and the impuritiescontaining foam pass out through the slit and the water filtered in thesand separator passes into the reservoir 16 whence it is pumped by pump15 through pipe 14 and into diffuser pipes 12 and 13.

In comparison with other known apparatus for case washing, the apparatusaccording to this invention has the advantage of carrying out a morevigorous washing owing to the immersion and the association of theeffects of dissolving by detergent solution and of the mechanicalactivity of the suspended sand particles; moreover, the apparatus has asimple structure since there are no conveyor belts and only a fewdiffuser pipes.

We claim:

containers comprising:

an elongated receptacle containing sand suspended in an aqueousdetergent solution;

a first chute extending downwardly into said receptacle at one sidethereof;

a grate below the level of said solution and extending across saidreceptacle from said first chute to the other side of said receptacle;

a second chute extending upwardly out of said receptacle from said grateat said other side of said receptacle;

a member spaced about said grate in said receptacle for holding saidcontainers below said level of said solution while said containerstravel across said grate, said containers then passing up said secondchute;

means including a shaft underlying said grate in said receptacle andprovided for agitating said solution upon rotation of said shaft andthereby bringing said sand into abrasive contact with said container onsaid grate; and

rinsing means downstream of said receptacle and having a plurality ofinwardly directed fluid jets surrounding said second chute for sprayingsaid container with rinse water and rinsing the detergent solution andsand from said container.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said second chute includes asecond horizontal grate externally of said receptacle, said rinsingmeans including a plurality of diffuser pipes arranged above said secondgrate.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising a reservoirbelow said second grate and pump means connected between said reservoirand said diffuser pipes for recycling rinse water.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising a sloping troughunder said second grate, a second reservoir under said trough, and asand separator between said reservoirs and forming a fluid communicationpath therebetween, said trough emptying into said second reservoir.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4, further comprising afresh-water-fed diffuser upstream of said diffuser pipes and sprayingfresh water on said container on said second grate.

1. An apparatus for washing a succession of floatable containerscomprising: an elongated receptacle containing sand suspended in anaqueous detergent solution; a first chute extending downwardly into saidreceptacle at one side thereof; a grate below the level of said solutionand extending across said receptacle from said first chute to the otherside of said receptacle; a second chute extending upwardly out of saidreceptacle from said grate at said other side of said receptacle; aMember spaced about said grate in said receptacle for holding saidcontainers below said level of said solution while said containerstravel across said grate, said containers then passing up said secondchute; means including a shaft underlying said grate in said receptacleand provided for agitating said solution upon rotation of said shaft andthereby bringing said sand into abrasive contact with said container onsaid grate; and rinsing means downstream of said receptacle and having aplurality of inwardly directed fluid jets surrounding said second chutefor spraying said container with rinse water and rinsing the detergentsolution and sand from said container.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim1 wherein said second chute includes a second horizontal grateexternally of said receptacle, said rinsing means including a pluralityof diffuser pipes arranged above said second grate.
 3. The apparatusdefined in claim 2, further comprising a reservoir below said secondgrate and pump means connected between said reservoir and said diffuserpipes for recycling rinse water.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 3,further comprising a sloping trough under said second grate, a secondreservoir under said trough, and a sand separator between saidreservoirs and forming a fluid communication path therebetween, saidtrough emptying into said second reservoir.
 5. The apparatus defined inclaim 4, further comprising a fresh-water-fed diffuser upstream of saiddiffuser pipes and spraying fresh water on said container on said secondgrate.